Walter Travis, Architect of Onondaga Golf and Country Club

 

Walter J. Travis, the famed architect of numerous classic courses, had tremendous impact on the design on Onondaga. Travis began his golf career as a player, quickly becoming a top amateur competitor. He went on to win three U.S. Amateur Championships in a span of four years in 1900, 1901, and 1903. Overall, he competed in 17 consecutive U.S. Amateurs from 1898 – 1914, and six U.S. Opens between 1902 – 1912 where he was low amateur in five of those, including his second-place finish in 1902 at his home club, Garden City Golf Club..

 

Travis’ early playing accomplishments and popularity sparked a major surge of interest in the game of golf throughout the country. Wanting to share his knowledge, Travis authored several books on golf and golf course architecture, including The Art of Putting in 1904 and Practical Golf in 1909. In addition to this, Travis founded and published The American Golfer, which was widely regarded as the most influential golf magazine of its time.

 

He retired from competitive golf in 1916 at the age of 54, due to declining health diminishing his skills.

 

If his golf game and contributions in writing weren’t impressive enough, Travis pursued his passion of golf course architecture. His first experience was at Manchester Vermont’s Ekwanok Country Club in 1899 alongside John Duncan Dunn of Scotland. Throughout his life, Travis designed over 50 golf courses without any formal education or training in landscape/golf course design.

 

In designing a layout, he felt it was important to place bunkers aesthetically and scientifically to create interest and make each hole a new problem, which sharply contrasted the commonly used cross-bunkers. His early strategy with bunker placement represented a significant development to golf course design. His creative green sites, often dramatic and uniquely carved into the natural landscape, are highly regarded among modern golf course architects.

 

Seven of his course designs reside in New York State, including the Country Club of Troy, Garden City Country Club, Onondaga Golf & Country Club, Orchard Park Country Club, Stafford Country Club, Westchester Country Club (South and West Course), and Yahnundasis Golf Club.

 

Travis passed away in 1927 at age 65. He was elected into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1979.